


The New York Hale Pack

by neil4god



Series: Hale Emissaries [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Abusive Sheriff - so so sorry it just sort of happened!, Alpha Derek, Alpha Peter, Angst, Anorexic Stiles, Bratty Scott & Pack, Derek is a Good Alpha, Hale Land is a thing!, He deserves a pack too, Insecure Stiles, Jackson POV, M/M, New York Stiles & Co, Pack Cuddles, Pancakes, Peter's not going to be a complete douchenozzle in this, Protective Derek, Seriously he loves his pack!, Stiles & Peter Friendship, Sweet Jackson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-25
Updated: 2013-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-24 16:03:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/941873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neil4god/pseuds/neil4god
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a direct continuation from Scott McCall's Emissary, so if you haven't read that then stop now.</p>
<p>This picks up with Jackson's POV about his new pack, New York and the power play going on back in Beacon Hills - Peter is an Alpha now and wants Scott gone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jackson's Pack

**Author's Note:**

> This is a direct continuation from Scott McCall's Emissary, so if you haven't read that then stop now.  
> If you're gonna read it anyway then Stiles was depressed after Derek left, Scott isolated Stiles from the pack, Derek convinced Stiles to move to New York and Deaton realised what a mistake he had made by choosing Scott.

Jackson knew it was a bad idea. They had a life in New York, they were a proper pack and now Stiles wanted to ruin all that by going back to Beacon Hills. Who cares if Scott McCall was getting his ass kicked by Peter? It wasn’t their problem. Scott needed to grow a pair and man the fuck up because calling Stiles twenty times a day begging him to fix his problems wasn’t going to work. All it did was make Stiles edgy and piss Derek off. The phone calls and texts had been coming for two weeks now and Stiles was caving. Jackson could see it. He was feeling guilty for leaving town the way he did, but it was the right decision. Stiles made the right choice to come to New York to be with Derek. He knows Stiles says it was for school, but if Derek lived in Antarctica Stiles would find a school nearby and call it coincidence. 

Stiles was so gone on Derek it was nauseating. It literally made him ill. It was like watching your parents make out, it just wasn’t something you ever needed to see. Not that Jackson had ever seen his parents make out, but Derek and Stiles more than made up for it. He felt like their kid sometimes, most of the time actually. Stiles made sure he went to all of his classes and ate proper meals and didn’t fall in with the wrong crowd. At first it had been weird moving into Derek’s big ass house, it was so different from London and even though Jackson had only spent a couple months there, he’d gotten used to it. He hadn’t really wanted to leave London at all but his parent’s divorce meant he had to go somewhere and when Derek offered him a room, it had seemed like a good idea. When he left Beacon Hills Jackson had never expected to hear from Derek again. Sure he gave him his new number and email address, but he didn’t think he’d use it. At first all he got were short messages, telling him everyone was ok and checking in on things in London. But then Derek started writing him these long emails and demanding video chats and texting him all the freaking time. That was around the time Derek left Beacon Hills, after Jennifer and the Alpha pack. He was introduced to a new side of Derek he never even suspected existed. It was nice. For the first time in years Jackson felt truly cared for. When Derek asked him how he was, he genuinely wanted to know. He was concerned for him and his welfare. It was that more than anything else that persuaded him to move back to the States. 

The house was right on the edge of Central Park and was way nicer than anything Jackson expected Derek to have. Logically he knew that Derek had money because he ran a company and had a high powered job and stuff, but Jackson remembered the burned out Hale mansion and the crappy ass train station Derek used to live in. An eight bedroom house with a swimming pool and gym was not anything he would have ever associated with Derek. He said he bought it right after he moved back to New York. He sold his apartment because Cora got into a fight with the neighbours and threatened to disembowel a ninety three year old woman. Derek bought the house because it had so much space. Jackson’s room was basically a suite, it had its own living room and everything. Once Stiles moved in he convinced Derek to turn the basement into a game room with a pool table and game consoles. 

Derek and Jackson met him at JFK shuffling awkwardly in the crowded space. Jackson hadn’t wanted to be there but Derek had insisted. Cora only managed to get out of it because she had school and Derek wouldn’t let her skip classes. It was awkward just watching Derek and Stiles dance around each other. Derek obviously wanted to wrap the younger boy in his arms and Stiles tried not to be too needy by leaning into the touch. When Jackson felt Stiles lean against him in the backseat he knew that something was seriously wrong. In the weeks that followed he realised just how touch starved Stiles really was. Derek used it to his advantage, constantly touching the boy and leaning against him. Jackson isn’t sure why Derek even bothered giving Stiles his own room, he should have just put him in Derek’s bed and be done with it. Derek did everything he could to make sure that Stiles felt at home in New York. He made Jackson take him shopping for new clothes, apparently Cora volunteered but Derek was too scared of what Stiles would come home wearing, so he made Jackson do it instead. It helped he thinks, Stiles is more confident now than he ever was in Beacon Hills. They all fit together better as well. When Stiles and Jackson went to enroll in NYU they both registered as Hale. Derek overheard them talking with the girl at the desk and completely flipped his lid. He attacked Stiles right there, shoving him up against a wall and grinding against him. It was gross and there wasn’t a single person on campus who didn’t know that Stiles had a boyfriend and was seriously off limits. If he’s honest with himself, that’s why he’s so afraid of going back. It plays over and over in the back of his mind, what if Stiles leaves them for Scott? What if they get back to Beacon Hills and all that crap they escaped from sucks them back in. Derek is awesome in New York, he laughs and talks and cares about all of them. He’s a better Alpha than Jackson ever thought possible and Stiles. Stiles has become his brother. Sure they still tease each other but it’s not as malicious as it was before. Stiles cares about him and looks out for him and he does the same. They’re a pack now, all of them are a family and he won’t let Scott fucking McCall take that away from him! 

They didn’t give him a choice. Derek is still his Alpha, he turned him and through some mystical mumbo jumbo that Stiles managed to do all the way from Beacon Hills, Derek became an Alpha again long before Jackson moved back to the States. Point is, he had to come. Cora got to stay at home though, her finals where just starting and she couldn’t afford to skip, it’s kind of weird because he’s never had a sibling before, but he really does see her as his little sister. It makes him wish she was here with them. She argued right up til the end when they were pulling out of their driveway that this was a dumb idea and they should stay out of it. Derek just blew her a kiss and Stiles apologised again. They all knew it was dumb. This wasn’t there problem not anymore. Unsheathing his claws out of boredom Jackson caught the glance Derek sent his way and made his fingers human again. He was bored. They were in Deaton’s waiting for him and Scott or the pack, or somebody, so he was bored and pissed off. Derek was too. Someone should have been here by now and that they weren’t was either a sign of disrespect or some dumb power-play. Either way it wasn’t a good way to start things, not when they came all the way from New York to help. Ears twitching, Jackson focused his attention on the door, waiting for Scott and Isaac to come through. 

They looked awful. Scott was torn up, his arm bloody and his clothes ripped, while Isaac just looked dejected and exhausted. Both boys smiled when they saw them though. Scott crossed the room quickly to hug Stiles but Derek kept his arm around Stiles keeping him close. Jackson watched the irritation wash over Scott’s features, but what did he expect? Stiles didn’t even want to hug him, he hadn’t tried to reach out or move away from Derek to get to Scott. Isaac came up close behind Scott, almost touching his shoulder before hesitating and pulling back. Jackson squared his shoulders and moved next to Stiles. Derek liked it when they formed ranks, it made him feel better knowing that Stiles was safe. He made them do it all the time, even if they were just out getting groceries. Ever since New York he had been seriously protective of everyone. 

Stiles tried not to fidget but he couldn’t stop himself, hands twisting into fabric as he babbled, “You guys look awful. Not awful awful but damn you look bad. Was it Peter? Where’s everyone else? Are they ok? Should we call Deaton again? Are you healing ok? We should call Deaton he can give you something. Are we meeting the others somewhere else?”  
He couldn’t seem to stop himself, the questions pouring out of his mouth like a tsunami. It was his panic taking over, he’d been stressing out for weeks about this and now that he was here, he was falling to pieces. Jackson took a step closer before Derek re-positioned himself behind Stiles, wrapping his arms across his upper torso and dragging the boy back against his chest. Once he had him settled Derek asked Scott, “Well?”  
Isaac nudged Scott out of whatever stupor he’d fallen into, prompting him to answer, “Dude your uncle is a jackass and you need to deal with him, like now!”  
Jackson felt his hackles rise, the wolf within him baring it’s teeth and ready to fight. He didn’t know how Derek stayed so calm, old Derek wouldn’t have, he’d have shoved Scott against a wall and threatened to rip his throat out, New York Derek just smiled and said “This is Hale land what did you expect Scott? For him to just roll over?”  
Jackson couldn’t stop the smirk from spreading across his face, he loved seeing Scott splutter and flail. It pissed him off the way he talks to Derek, like everything is his responsibility when Scott is the one in charge here. It’s his job to look after his pack and protect them from Peter. Just because Derek’s related to the dude doesn’t mean he’s responsible for his actions. 

Isaac blushed fiercely before coming to Scott’s rescue, “No but until Stiles left everything was ok. He didn’t seem to care about us, he just wanted to hang out with Stiles until you made him move away.”  
Where the fuck did he get off saying that? Jackson was snarling and growling without even noticing it, all he cared about was his pack and he could feel how much that hurt Stiles. It reverberated through their pack bonds and it cut into him leaving him raw and needing to kill. Derek pressed his hand against his wrist keeping him in place and sending him calm and comfort. 

After several moments he was calm enough to focus again, to take in the sweet sweet scent of Isaac’s fear as Derek spoke, “Peter was an Alpha before Stiles left town. He always planned on taking back this territory whether any of you realised it or not. The only effect Stiles’ absence had was that it kept you safe. If he’d been here then Stiles would be his emissary and you would all be dead or in his pack. Not to mention the fact that Stiles has the right to choose where he lives and with whom he spends his time. If this is all you wanted from us then we’re leaving. We have lives in New York and we can’t just drop out of them to come here and be insulted.”  
At some point during Derek’s speech Deaton, Lydia and the twins had come in through the back. It made his wolf anxious to have strange wolves at his back so he re-positioned his body, trusting that his Alpha would protect him from Scott and Isaac if necessary. 

Lydia ignored the tension in the room, launching herself into Jackson’s arms. He caught her midair hugging her tightly against him, letting her scent fill his senses. He had missed her so damn much. One of the twins growled but Jackson ignored it and held her tighter. Putting her down again Jackson smiled at her, this first time he’d smiled since they arrived in Beacon Hills, “Hey Lyds, missed you.”  
She discreetly dabbed at her makeup, careful not to smudge anything. “I thought you were still in London. What are you doing here?”  
The twin who growled wrapped his body around Lydia, but she pushed him off waiting for Jackson to answer her question. “I’m living in New York with Derek. I’m in my first year at NYU, I kinda’ skipped a grade for London so they let me in.”  
She arched one perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him silently demanding an explanation. “My parents got divorced and Derek offered me a place to stay, plus NYU is a great school. I have a couple classes with Stiles and Cora will be going next year unless Juilliard get’s their head out of their asses and realizes she’s awesome.” He couldn’t stop the pride swelling in his chest from coming across in his voice, but Cora was amazing with a piano. She deserved to be in Juilliard. 

He watched Lydia carefully, noting every tiny expression while aware of the conversation continuing between Stiles and Deaton. “I’ll talk to him, I think this might just be a misunderstanding or something. I spoke to him a few days ago and he was fine.”  
Stiles sounded upset, Jackson knew how much he could come to care for Peter after Derek left. Jackson shifted his body closer to Stiles, pressing up against him when Lydia and the twins moved around to face Derek. Shocked Deaton asked, “You’ve been in contact with him?”  
Able to turn completely again Jackson got his first proper look at Deaton and the guy looked old. Whatever had been going on here was clearly taking a toll. “Sure we talk all the time. I’d been hoping he could move out to New York actually, I’ve missed him a lot. Have you guys actually tried talking to him?” 

Stiles’ question was met with silence. This had been going on for weeks, probably longer and no-one had even tried to confront Peter about it, how stupid could McCall possibly be? Scott flushed red from embarrassment and mumbled out something that sounded like, “Didn’t think of that.” Jackson held back a loud snort but just barely. Derek tugged him against his body, letting Jackson lean against him and half behind Stiles. Jackson felt his whole body start to melt into Derek’s embrace. Derek made eye contact with Scott, staring him down when he said, “We’ll call Peter, set up a meet but no-one is going to attack him, not until I’ve gotten to the bottom of this.”  
Scott was going to betray them, it was what he did, but hopefully Peter would know it was Scott and not Derek’s pack. Derek pushed them both forward slightly, “It was a long drive, we’ll text you with the details.”  
It was Lydia who asked, although it was obvious everyone wanted to know, “Where are you staying?” Jackson felt Stiles’ body tense in front of him. Rubbing his nose against the other boy’s neck inhaling deeply, he caught the barely hidden look of envy in Isaac’s eyes and the way the twins shuffled closer to them. It obviously wasn’t Stiles they wanted, but the intimacy of touch, of pack. Derek smirked happy for Jackson to show off their pack bonds, “We’ve rented an apartment nearby.”  
With that Derek forced the two of them past the other pack and back out into the car. 

Jackson didn’t feel better until they were safe inside the apartment with Derek’s scent clinging to every surface. They had stopped there first to scent the place, so they would have somewhere safe and comforting to come back to. Derek didn’t let them do anything other than toss off their shoes before he was shoving both boys into the bedroom. With an order to strip Jackson and Stiles spread themselves across the bed in nothing but their boxers while Derek brought in drinks and snacks. Placing everything on the bedside table with their phones, Derek plopped onto the bed, crawling up it until he was in the middle under both of them. Jackson let Derek reposition him until he was snuggled in against his side with Stiles’ arm wrapped around him. It was like his whole body suddenly decompressed, all of the tension and anxiety just faded away until there was only pack and safety. 

This was something he had discovered about Derek his first day in New York. Derek was a cuddler. He loved to wrap himself around his pack, snuggling up against them on the sofa or sometimes after a long week he would declare Sunday a bed day where no-one moved except to order Chinese and change the channel. Derek always knew when they needed this, when everything became too much for them to handle by themselves. Jackson let the quiet heartbeats of his pack lull half to sleep, getting caught between sleep and wakefulness when Stiles asked quietly, “Is it really my fault that this is happening to them?”  
Jackson heard Derek kiss Stiles’ hair softly, a sound he had grown increasingly familiar with. “They’re panicking. They don’t have anyone else to blame so they’re blaming you. It was short sighted of them not to think Peter would fight for this territory. We’re on Hale land, it makes us stronger than them. Our connection to the land goes back hundred of years and is seeped in blood; the land wants a Hale in power. It’s giving Peter the extra power boost he needs to maintain dominance. I can feel it too, ever since we crossed the town lines.”  
Jackson opened his eyes, blearily watching Derek pet Stiles’ hair as the younger boy threw his leg across Derek and nuzzled into his neck. “I don’t want them to do anything to Peter. I know he was horrible before but he feels like pack now.”  
Derek let out a long sigh that Jackson couldn’t interpret before hushing him back to sleep. Jackson was so sleepy he barely heard Derek's muttered "I know"


	2. Chapter 2

The message had caught him by surprise, it shouldn’t have but it did. He had scouted the building earlier, but whatever traps Scott was setting up he couldn’t find. At least he could be certain it was Scott. Stiles wouldn’t try to hurt him not anymore. They had become friends, skyping each other constantly since Stiles left Beacon Hills. That’s why the text was such a surprise, he hadn’t known Stiles was back in town. It was Scott’s fault, he must have guilted him into coming home, not caring about how it hurt Stiles. Straightening his blazer Peter pushed open the door listening to the jingle of the bell while he looked for Stiles. It didn’t take long, the boy was out of the booth and rushing into his arms, throwing himself halfway across the diner in a heartbeat. Peter caught him and swung him around, holding him tight and breathing in his scent. When he put him down Stiles hugged him tightly then grabbed his hand and led him to the biggest booth at the back. Both packs were seated, Scott’s pack on the left and Derek’s on the right. Stiles tugged at Peter’s hand until he sat next to him. Derek passed him a menu and wouldn’t let anyone talk until their orders had been given to the blonde in the miniskirt. At least someone wanted to be civilized about this. 

The pancakes were fluffy and perfect, even being elbowed by Stiles every time he ate something didn’t diminish his pleasure in having the younger boy nearby. Stiles couldn’t keep up the silence, Peter could see how it was killing him. He was almost back to the young boy he’d been before Derek left. Peter was glad he was doing better. He had hated sitting by and watching Stiles fall apart, knowing there wasn’t anything he could really do to stop it. He had tried, but it was like painting over a crack, it didn’t fix the crack just hid it. Peter didn’t have the power to fix that crack, only Derek and Scott did and Scott hadn’t even known there was a crack. It was just another reason not to like the boy. Better for everyone if he had bitten Stiles instead. They should probably get this thing started, stop Stiles from bouncing about like a five year old on a sugar rush.  
“You wanted to speak to me?” He didn’t direct it at anyone in particular, but he knew Scott would answer, “You need to leave town and stop trying to kill us.”  
The boy really needed to work on his acting skills, he should start with intimidation. 

Stiles broke in immediately, “We just want to know what’s happening that’s all. You never said anything was going on down here.”  
He had been careful to hide the truth from Stiles. It would only hurt him. Answering honestly he told him, “I didn’t want you involved.”  
Scott’s face turned red at the implications, but Isaac placed a hand on his arm, calming his alpha down. Lydia narrowed his eyes at him, but she was bracketed in by the twins so he was safe enough to continue, “I didn’t want you to have to come back Stiles. I know things have been going really well in New York and with Derek and the pack. This isn’t your fight anymore.”  
The younger boy flailed a bit and shovelled a pancake into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. He nudged Derek repeatedly until he gave in and asked, “How did this start Peter? What happened, your version not theirs.”  
He couldn’t help but relish the guilty look on Scott’s face and the way Lydia looked down at her plate, refusing to make eye contact with Jackson across from her.  
“I was angry that Stiles was leaving. I may have been a little threatening, but it was only a threat. After a few hours I realised that this was for the best. Staying here would have killed him. Either through the supernatural or one of the suicide attempts, I can’t always be there, he was bound to succeed eventually. He was better off in New York with you. I went back to Deaton’s to apologise or at the very least rescind my threats. When I got there the pack was gone and Deaton smelled of wolfsbane and smoke. Scott and Allison decided to act pre-emptively by burning down my apartment. Unfortunately I wasn’t in it, but eight people were. The fire spread through the building killing four people and injuring the rest.” 

He was trying to keep a hold of his temper, but the very thought of what they did filled him with rage. Not that he particularly liked or even cared about his neighbours, but it was the idea of it. Fire again. It displayed a level of cruelty that Peter had never expected Scott to have. Of course the hunter bitch was with him so it could have been her idea. He smelled Derek’s shock and fear and absolute loathing. He could see Jackson leaning into Stiles who wrapped shaking hands around Derek pulling him close. Making eye contact with Scott Peter told them, “I decided then that it was best not to rescind my previous words. Actions after all speak louder than words so I made it very clear that I would not tolerate them in my territory.”  
Scott butted in, his jaw set, “It’s not your territory it’s mine!”  
Stupid boy. He didn’t know what it was to be a werewolf, to have a real territory that bent itself to your wishes. “This is Hale land you moron. You can’t have it!”  
Derek smiled viciously at that, he at least understood what it was Peter meant. “He’s right Scott this is Hale land. I’m sure Deaton explained it to you. It makes you weaker than us, True Alpha or not. I could smell the truth on him, hear his heart beating steadily as he spoke, smelled your guilt Scott so why am I here? Why would you bring us here when you’re the one who started this?” 

Scott flashed his puppy dog eyes at Stiles silently begging him for help. It made Peter want to rip his eyeballs out. How could he be so selfish? So oblivious to the harm he had caused his so called friend? Stiles stared down at his plate shovelling pancake after pancake into his mouth while Jackson silently added his pancakes to Stiles’ pile. At least this time he was stress eating, last time he stopped eating completely. Peter had to force him to eat anything and then watch him like a hawk to be sure he didn’t throw it back up. Realising that he wasn’t going to receive any help from Stiles, Scott told Derek, “We didn’t start it. He came in making all kinds of threats and stuff so we decided to take action. The place was supposed to be deserted. It was meant to be a warning that’s all. The music in one of the rooms was too loud though, we couldn’t hear the heartbeats, only the screams when they started.”  
He cut himself off, letting Isaac take over, “We did what we thought was the right thing at the time. We made a mistake, but then he tried to kill us. It’s been going on for months now. Allison’s father moved them away so it’s just us now. With the Argents gone other hunters have come around and he wouldn’t even help us deal with them.”  
It was petulant and foolish and Lydia and the twins at least knew that. How could they expect him to help them when they’d burned down his home and spent months trying to kill him? Stiles was following the same train of thought, asking Scott “Why would he help you Scott? You burned down his home and even if you hadn’t he’s not in your pack! You did the same thing with Derek, just expected him to help you for no reason. They don’t owe you anything Scott." Scott tried to interject but Stiles wouldn't let him. "Don’t even try that. Peter turned you sure but you’ve gotten a pack and a lacrosse scholarship out of it. Derek never did anything to you, literally nothing and you still treated him like shit and just expected him to do you favours. The world doesn’t owe you anything Scott.”  


It was good to watch Scott splutter and flail. It was about time he heard some hard truths. Derek put his arm around Stiles, leaning heavily against the younger boy while Jackson moved even closer so Derek’s fingers brushed the nape of his neck. Derek was marking his pack. Startled Peter looked down to see Derek’s fingers on his wrist. He couldn’t stop his heart from beating that little bit faster, but his nephew was accepting him as pack. Only the twins seemed to understand what was happening, their bodies tensing up putting Lydia on alert. Derek let his pack lean into him, even Peter felt himself shifting closer subconsciously, before telling Scott “This is Hale land and you need to leave Scott. Stiles says you have a scholarship then go. Stay out of town and don’t ever come back. I want all of you gone by morning, either together or separately I don’t care, but this is my territory.”  
Peter couldn’t find it in himself to argue. Derek was a Hale after all. Scott sat frozen before snarling back “This is my home! You can’t make us leave you don’t have the right!”  
That would be where he is very much mistaken. 

Scott may not know how to be a werewolf but Derek does. He knows their laws and their customs and above all else, their powers. The twins shrunk in on themselves knowing what was coming and unable to fight it. Derek gently moved his pack off him, standing up to tower over Scott and his pack. When he spoke his words were even and calm and filled with the power of a Hale Alpha, a power that Peter had not been able to replicate even with his particular skills, “I am alpha here and you are not welcome. Leave my land.”  
anyone human it just sounded like a threat, maybe a little louder than was acceptable in a busy diner during breakfast rush, but it wasn’t anything too dire. To the wolves however, it was a command they could not disobey. It was law written in blood and stone. It was inviolable. Scott’s pack, minus Lydia found themselves racing out of the diner and leaving Beacon Hills behind. They would keep running until they hit the border of Hale land and then they could stop, but they would not be able to cross. There was a boundary now, something stronger than mountain ash keeping them out. Not even a True Alpha could cross it. They would never be able to come into Beacon Hills again. Smiling Peter took a bite of his almost cold pancakes, relishing in having a pack again as Derek sat back down and Jackson and Stiles sprawled out. Lydia stayed where she was, flicking her gaze between Derek and the door, her brow arched in question. Surprisingly it was Jackson who told her, “Der’s a born wolf and a Hale and an Alpha so he trumps Scott like ten to one. They can’t ever come back here.”  
Lydia seemed to think it through before letting out a sighed “huh” and calling over the waitress for more coffee. 

She was half way through her second cup when she said, “I got accepted into NYC for math and fashion design. I’ll want my own room and you better not put me anywhere near Peter.”  
Jackson’s smile was so bright the waitress gave him extra pancakes for free. Stiles laughed into his coffee and Derek not too subtly sniffed the redhead. Derek waited until he'd payed the check and they were leaving the diner to wrap Lydia in a hug, scent marking her, and welcoming her to the pack. Peter felt Jackson and Stiles rub up against him in passing, attempting to be coy about their scent marking. Really his whole pack needed to learn what subtly was and how to apply it in a practical situation. He couldn’t help his smile though, it felt nice to have a pack again. They were rounding the corner when Peter smelled it. He was overly familiar with the scent. Had spent hours waiting outside Stiles’ house listening to them argue while the sheriff’s scent filled his nose and mingled with Stiles’. It sent a sense of dread up his spine. The sheriff had not taken his son’s defection easily. 

Stiles’ eyes widened and his mouth fell open, his gaze immediately landing on his father. He had put on some weight, no doubt from all the take out he’d been eating now he didn’t have Stiles to cook for him and worry over his eating habits. Peter found it ironic that Stiles should be so concerned with his father’s food foibles when he had stopped eating completely. What he found most irritating of all was that the sheriff didn’t even realise his son was anorexic or suicidal or even depressed. The sheriff stopped in the middle of the street letting people brush past him, so he could stare at his son. Neither man seemed capable of speech so Peter would have to say something. He didn’t get the change though, Derek stuck out his hand and smiled at the sheriff, saying “It’s been a while sir.”  
The sheriff stared at his hand like it could bite him before stepping close to Stiles and grabbing his arm. Jackson made a noise of concern, but Derek let it happen, thinking perhaps it would lead into a hug. It didn’t. The sheriff dragged the boy into the nearest alley and pushed him against the wall screaming, “Where the hell have you been?” 

The boy stammered out a greeting waiting for Derek to pull his father off him. Peter told Jackson and Lydia to watch the entrance to the alley. It wouldn’t do to have spectators. While Derek manhandled the sheriff, Peter checked on Stiles. He was bruised and shaken but otherwise fine. From the rage in Derek’s eyes, Peter was guessing this was the first time he’d seen or heard anything about this. Stiles had tried to brush it off before, saying it was just a reaction to the werewolf stuff, but Peter had checked Stiles’ medical history, noting the alarming amount of broken bones shortly after his mother died. It seemed the sheriff had a habit of hitting his son when he was stressed. He wasn’t nearly as abusive as Isaac’s father had been, but although Peter had gone crazy and killed his niece, he had never believed in violence or hitting children. It was abuse plain and simple and judging by a conversation he once had with Melissa about it, it was a hang up from John’s past that he occasionally taught to his son. 

Derek kept the sheriff on the other side of the alleyway away from Stiles, his body radiating rage and his scent so filled with fury that Peter could barely smell anything under it. He kept one hand on the sheriff’s chest holding him in place while his eyes flashed red at the threat to his mate. Tentatively Stiles stepped away from the wall, crowding his body into Derek’s offering him the comfort he needs to calm down. The sheriff however didn’t seem to care about self-preservation. He wouldn’t wait for Derek to calm his wolf, instead he pushed back, trying to get to his son. “Stiles what the hell happened? You just left and I haven’t heard from you in months. I’m sorry that I pushed you just now, but I’ve been worried.”  
Peter stepped in, almost afraid of what Derek would say, “Then you hug him. You don’t shove him against a wall so hard he hits his head.”  
He saw the sheriff wince in sympathy and guilt. Although he hadn’t been in a pack in quite some time, Peter still knew how to comfort a packmate and Stiles had been his packmate long before Derek made him pack again. He put his palm onto the back of Stiles’ neck, letting his heat radiate into Stiles. It was an intimate gesture, it spoke of friendship and trust and Peter was grateful that Stiles and more importantly Derek – who was watching him like a hawk- let him do it. 

Stiles’ father heaved in gulping breaths, watching Derek watch Peter. Taking the initiative Stiles told his father, “I’m living in New York, going to NYC. I got a scholarship and I just couldn’t stay here dad. Everything was falling apart and it just kept getting worse. I couldn’t handle it so I left. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you but I didn’t really think you’d care by that point.”  
The sheriff choked up at his son’s blasé reference to his lack of parenting skills. Ignoring him entirely Stiles continued, “I never meant to hurt you dad, but I’m really happy now. There’s no more running for my life or fighting witches and alphas. Everything is good and Derek makes me happy, the whole pack does.”  
The sheriff’s eyes darted to Derek, reassessing him and applying this new information. Peter laughed when the man’s face turned red and he tried to punch Derek. It was a good shot, right to the nose, a human would be bleeding, crying probably but because Derek was a werewolf it was the sheriff who was near tears, shaking his hand out and testing for broken bones. Since violence wasn’t going to work he resorted to name calling, shouting “You son of a bitch! He’s underage you bastard! I’ll have you arrested for statutory rape you dick! How long have you been defiling me son you pervert?”  
With each insult Stiles turned a little paler, his body trembling slightly. Peter kept his hand on his neck and let Stiles lean against him while Derek dealt with his father. Finally Derek had had enough, shouting at the older man, “Stop it! We are in a loving committed relationship there is nothing perverted about it. He is your son and you should support his choices not condemn him for them. We’re leaving town and we’re not coming back, if Stiles wants to have anything to do with you, which I highly doubt given today’s assault and verbal abuse, then it will be on his terms. You will not harass us or in any way harm your son further is that understood?”  
He didn’t give him a chance to reply, taking Stiles by the hand and leading him out of the alley. Peter waited until they had left the alleyway completely before leaning in close to John and pitching his voice so only he could hear “Derek doesn’t know the things you did while he was away so he can’t say this, but I can. Come near Stiles again, even so much as a text message and I will come back here and rip off your balls. He has a new family now, he doesn’t need you.” 

Peter didn’t have many things to collect, just some clothes and his Mac from the hotel. Lydia’s things were already packed, her clothes in boxes and her laptop in a carry on bag. Her bedroom was empty and her parents cried, but they had clearly been prepared for this. She knew she would be leaving with them, regardless of what happened with Scott and Peter. Peter was a little bit impressed by that. Her sheer confidence was awe inspiring. What was even more impressive was Stiles. Although he was still shaken from his encounter with his father, he seemed much better in himself, more settled. When Peter tried to go to the ticket counter to get on their flight to New York Stiles hit him over the head and told him not to be stupid. Stiles already had tickets for him and Lydia. Derek smiled brightly, the first real smile he’d seen from his nephew since the fire, and told them they were always pack. Peter ducked his head, hoping his nephew wouldn’t see his tears, he had wanted a family for so long and to have one again just didn’t seem real. Lydia laughed at his stupidity, throwing her arms around him, “We’re going home dummy, you can’t cry until you get there.”  
She was right, he was going home.


End file.
